THE OOLUGIST. 



lSii» 



both iu size aud color. Two extreme 

 sets are as follows: No. 6-4 '92 measur- 

 es .70.K.52, .GTx.ol, .6rx,o2. .68x52. The 

 groniul color is white. The markings 

 are gathered iu a distinct vvreath near 

 the larger end aud consist of pale lav- 

 ender shell marks and rather large 

 spots of chestnut. There are also a 

 few tine dots of chestnut scattered over 

 the eggs. This was au unusual set both 

 iu color aud size being the lai-gest I 

 have a record of. 



No. 7 4, 't»2. represents the other ex- 

 treme. It measui'es 62x.49, .58x.49, 

 .58x 50. .60x.4y. The -hell marks of 

 lavender are gathered in a wreath 

 about the large eud but these are near- 

 l}'^ covered by the profuse spots of viua- 

 ceous cinnamon, which are distributed 

 thickly over the entire surface in every 

 case. They are very beautiful aud rep- 

 resent the smallest and most heavily 

 marked type I have seen. Different 

 sets vary between thesb extremes. 



Unlike the most of the smaller birds, 

 aud especially the Yellow Warbler, the 

 Redstart often rears the young Cow 

 bird and its own as well. Their young 

 require a large amount of iusect food 

 which keeps the old birds \evy bus}' for 

 three or four weeks. The young are 

 all about the color of the adult female, 

 showing very little difference as to sex 

 until the second year. After the young 

 become able to take care of themselves, 

 the whole family enjoy the pleasures of 

 a four weeks' holiday before they start 

 south for the winter. At this time they 

 do not sing much, in fact we hear noth- 

 ing which coidil be called a true song 

 until the next spring. 



In disposition thev are rather iiuliu- 

 ed to be quarrelsome both males and 

 fenjales, the males, cspccial'y during 

 the mating season, are always lighting 

 each other. Their lights take plact; al- 

 tiiosl eutiiely iu the air and they make 

 l)lenty of feathers tly, accompanied l)y 

 much noise. The fi-nuiles are moi'- 

 fearless than the males duriuir tin- 



breediug season as anyone will notice 

 wheu they triHe with her home. She 

 will often tly in your face accom])auy- 

 iug this with :i constant snapping of 

 the beak. I think they sometimes suc- 

 ceed in driving the Cow birds off if they 

 happen to be at hand when Mrs. Cow- 

 bird comes sneaking up; at least they 

 do for a time. 



They disappear very silently aud we 

 hardly notice they are going bi'fore the 

 last one is gone. They are i)roi)ably as 

 free from natural enemies as any <tf our 

 birds, and moi'e so than some. 



This last season I found a nest on 

 which a female was sitting, and *on go- 

 ing to it a few days later I found her 

 dead in a crotch close by with plumage 

 badly rutHed. The nest was not notic- 

 ably molested. I do not know how to 

 account for this unless some bird 

 caught her on the ncst,"and if so why 

 did it leave her without making an at- 

 tempt to feed upon her? And also, 

 why was the nest unmolested v Wish 

 ing success to the Oi>LO(;isT, I am or- 

 nithologically, 



Ernest H. Short, 

 Chili, N. Y. 



Birds as Pets. 



By M'U-njsto)iia Megnpoiiius. 



Someone wrote on this subject iu 

 your journal not long ago, aud the 

 article interested me very much. 

 There are many persons interested in 

 collecting, who glory in the name of 

 naturalist, or think that they are en- 

 titled to that name, aud yet who are 

 mere grabl)ers of specimens, aud wh«» 

 collect because it is the fad of the times. 

 A true lover of l)irds and their habit.s 

 is always an observer, and such a one, 

 is far more interesting in conversation 

 than a man or boy who has simply de- 

 voted his time anti energy, aiul perhaps 

 money, to the censmalde eiiNtom of 

 alone gathering speeiiueiis. 



